me and my buddies broke into the mansion in 2003, just to look around, we turned a down a long hallway and this dude in a bowler hat, cane and no legs was floating towards us until he got close we were stunned, once we knew it was 100 percent a ghost we ran out, we always thought it was henry, until i took a date around Halloween to the museum a few years back, they had pics up of the ghost seen around there and all of them were of the same exact dude, its henry fords butler which staff have said they see walking the hallways. when i sent the photo to my buddies they flopped out. since then i believe in ghosts, its weird to think some being is floating around right in front of you that was human a long time ago, i mean what the hell is it exactly?
Your doing a great job i remember going to Fairlane with my mom before the pool was filled in and seeing the gate house I know when the gatehouse was torn down my mom was so upset is thare anyway the gate house can be replaced with a copy I know it is a part of history for Fairlane and Dearborn I remember the gatehouse was where the road to Fairlane mall from Michigan Ave
I grew up a bicycle ride away from the estate. When I was a kid I used to sneak into the backyard with my friends to play in the cool treehouse they had until security would chase us off. My Dad worked for Mrs. Evangeline Dahlinger as a handyman in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She had an estate a quick boat ride down the Rouge River from the Fairlane Mansion. She was Ford’s mistress. She was his secretary and the individual responsible for creating the Henry Ford Museum. My grandparents on both sides of my family worked at the Ford Rouge Plant from the early 1940s until they retired in the 1960s.
That's amazing! I don't have any stories so personal. I moved out this way around 25 years ago. I've enjoyed visiting all three of the Ford houses since I was young though.. the one here in Dearborn, the one in Grosse Pointe and the one (Edsel's) in White Lake/Highland that waa sadly burned down by kids at night. Each has amazing uniquenesses and similarities. I visit here at least once a year and take out of town cisitors here. The Cranbrook Estate is also incredible. I've kayaked pretty much the entire Rouge River, every branch from the Detroit River up, north and west. What a life it must have been for them. I would like to have walked it when they were maintaining it it's it heyday. The hiking trails the start at Ford Field Park and go east to this Ford Estate and west to Dearborn High are also awesone. The Henry Ford is truly one of the great museums in the country. The pathway design in it reminds me of the street layout in Detroit, which are like spokes of a wheel.
@@TheGreatOutdoors If you want a really good read, look up the book entitled “The Secret Life Of Henry Ford” by John Cote’ Dahlinger. He was Henry Fords illegitimate son whos mother was Evangeline Dahlinger. Her husband Ray Dahlinger, Fords head of security for the Rouge plant was married to her for “convenience” so when Henry visited the Dahlinger estate it didn’t appear inappropriate. My Dad knew John from working at his mothers estate. Mrs D as my Dad referred to her had an estate across Ford Rd on the Rouge River. Both her estate and Fords had boat houses on the river. Henry would motor over to her estate and “visit” Mrs. D. The boat houses had tunnels that led to the house. My family has several artifacts from the museum that Mrs. D had given my Dad during the years he worked for her including Henry’s original marriage certificate he found on the back of a framed photograph of Henry with the state seal embossed on it. He found the certificate many years after Mrs. D passed away. I’ve seen the certificate several years ago and someone in my family has it. Henry also gave my family who were farmers in Livingston county several farm tractors to test for him on their farms in the 1920s and ‘30s. Lots of history there.
Very interesting! I'm told The Evangeline Dahlinger house is located "on" Fairlane. I was also told the house was secret as not to reveal Mrs. Dahlinger's connection to Ford. I also saw a photograph of a house in ruins located on the estate. "The Dahlinger house" It's kind of our local history. Thank you for sharing.
@@iflick7235 Her estate is a short piece down the Rouge River and just across Ford Rd (M-53) from the Fairlane estate, right about where Hines Park ends.
I was lucky enough to take a very interesting tour inside as well as outside before they closed it for renovations. I also had a pretty good lunch there. I wanted to go back but it’s been closed for a few years now but I went to Edsel Ford’s house and was just as amazing. Go if you can
I lived in Madison Heights prior to moving to SW Michigan. When going through Highland Park on the way to Detroit, I would go by the former Model T production plant off of Woodward. Back in the day, Highland Park was one of the most prosperous cities in the US. The Ford Family should do something about the ruined plant. If they could tear what is left and erect a memorial to all of the former Ford folks who worked there. I'm guessing that it will never happen. Sure, the family has contributed to Detroit, but I'm thinking more can be done. Awesome video! Thank you so much for highlighting our history. Stay safe. Peace.
I visited the winter home of Ford and Edison in Ft Meyers today. Beautiful place. Got me interested in their Michigan digs. They must have loved it there. They only stayed 3 weeks of the winter in FL usually in January around Edison’s birthday on the eleventh.
@@TheGreatOutdoors prepare to be impressed. Edison had the houses he built pre cut in New England and shipped down to Florida and constructed. They not to long ago did a 14 million dollar restoration on the property including the Ford home. It’s beyond nice. The gardens and buildings are the nicest I’ve ever seen at a historic home. It had to be rebuilt a few years back bc termites love the soft wood used to build it. The lead based paint was the only thing really holding it together. It has porches that stretch out 14 ft from the house and create the most amazing spaces. The glass in the windows is mostly original so when you see the light come through it is magic. When Edison died Ford only came back down 4 times to visit his house and sold it for the same price he paid for it Said “ I don’t want to be seen as profiting from my friends death”. Loyal dude. Ford, Edison and a few other prominent people got the camping habit started by filming their car camping trips. Only took about 8 staff members to get them around on their adventures. They called themselves the Vagabonds or Vagabonders.
I beleive the house has been closed for renovations for sometime. But walking the grounds is generally open every day. This is still very enjoyable. However, it's been a few months since I've walked there.
Definitely free.. The property is now owned by (donated to) the University of Michigan. They also just built a bridge behind the mansion that takes you into a set of woods trails that are awesome too. They go along way along a river towards Ford Field Park. On the Ford grounds where the mansion is is a nice pond and trails too. It's real nice... big grounds. With the green coming in on the trees it will getting nicer to walk through now.
Beautiful!!!
I was a docent at this estate for about two years. Enjoyed every minute of the times I had there and the people were a joy to be around.
me and my buddies broke into the mansion in 2003, just to look around, we turned a down a long hallway and this dude in a bowler hat, cane and no legs was floating towards us until he got close we were stunned, once we knew it was 100 percent a ghost we ran out, we always thought it was henry, until i took a date around Halloween to the museum a few years back, they had pics up of the ghost seen around there and all of them were of the same exact dude, its henry fords butler which staff have said they see walking the hallways. when i sent the photo to my buddies they flopped out. since then i believe in ghosts, its weird to think some being is floating around right in front of you that was human a long time ago, i mean what the hell is it exactly?
Worked in the pool restaurant many, many years ago. Met my wife there. Proposed in the rose garden. Good times.
Your doing a great job i remember going to Fairlane with my mom before the pool was filled in and seeing the gate house I know when the gatehouse was torn down my mom was so upset is thare anyway the gate house can be replaced with a copy I know it is a part of history for Fairlane and Dearborn I remember the gatehouse was where the road to Fairlane mall from Michigan Ave
I grew up a bicycle ride away from the estate. When I was a kid I used to sneak into the backyard with my friends to play in the cool treehouse they had until security would chase us off. My Dad worked for Mrs. Evangeline Dahlinger as a handyman in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She had an estate a quick boat ride down the Rouge River from the Fairlane Mansion. She was Ford’s mistress. She was his secretary and the individual responsible for creating the Henry Ford Museum. My grandparents on both sides of my family worked at the Ford Rouge Plant from the early 1940s until they retired in the 1960s.
That's amazing! I don't have any stories so personal. I moved out this way around 25 years ago. I've enjoyed visiting all three of the Ford houses since I was young though.. the one here in Dearborn, the one in Grosse Pointe and the one (Edsel's) in White Lake/Highland that waa sadly burned down by kids at night. Each has amazing uniquenesses and similarities. I visit here at least once a year and take out of town cisitors here. The Cranbrook Estate is also incredible. I've kayaked pretty much the entire Rouge River, every branch from the Detroit River up, north and west. What a life it must have been for them. I would like to have walked it when they were maintaining it it's it heyday. The hiking trails the start at Ford Field Park and go east to this Ford Estate and west to Dearborn High are also awesone. The Henry Ford is truly one of the great museums in the country. The pathway design in it reminds me of the street layout in Detroit, which are like spokes of a wheel.
@@TheGreatOutdoors If you want a really good read, look up the book entitled “The Secret Life Of Henry Ford” by John Cote’ Dahlinger. He was Henry Fords illegitimate son whos mother was Evangeline Dahlinger. Her husband Ray Dahlinger, Fords head of security for the Rouge plant was married to her for “convenience” so when Henry visited the Dahlinger estate it didn’t appear inappropriate. My Dad knew John from working at his mothers estate. Mrs D as my Dad referred to her had an estate across Ford Rd on the Rouge River. Both her estate and Fords had boat houses on the river. Henry would motor over to her estate and “visit” Mrs. D. The boat houses had tunnels that led to the house. My family has several artifacts from the museum that Mrs. D had given my Dad during the years he worked for her including Henry’s original marriage certificate he found on the back of a framed photograph of Henry with the state seal embossed on it. He found the certificate many years after Mrs. D passed away. I’ve seen the certificate several years ago and someone in my family has it. Henry also gave my family who were farmers in Livingston county several farm tractors to test for him on their farms in the 1920s and ‘30s. Lots of history there.
Very interesting! I'm told The Evangeline Dahlinger house is located "on" Fairlane. I was also told the house was secret as not to reveal Mrs. Dahlinger's connection to Ford. I also saw a photograph of a house in ruins located on the estate. "The Dahlinger house" It's kind of our local history. Thank you for sharing.
@@iflick7235 Her estate is a short piece down the Rouge River and just across Ford Rd (M-53) from the Fairlane estate, right about where Hines Park ends.
I was lucky enough to take a very interesting tour inside as well as outside before they closed it for renovations. I also had a pretty good lunch there. I wanted to go back but it’s been closed for a few years now but I went to Edsel Ford’s house and was just as amazing. Go if you can
Thank you for the tour.
I am Restoring a 65 Ford Fairlane
Which was named after the Estate.
You're very welcome. Best wishes on the awesome restoration! 👍🚘
I lived in Madison Heights prior to moving to SW Michigan. When going through Highland Park on the way to Detroit, I would go by the former Model T production plant off of Woodward. Back in the day, Highland Park was one of the most prosperous cities in the US. The Ford Family should do something about the ruined plant. If they could tear what is left and erect a memorial to all of the former Ford folks who worked there. I'm guessing that it will never happen. Sure, the family has contributed to Detroit, but I'm thinking more can be done. Awesome video! Thank you so much for highlighting our history. Stay safe. Peace.
Me and my uncle did work at one of Henry Ford's house
Wild! I was just there an hour ago 😊
I visited the winter home of Ford and Edison in Ft Meyers today. Beautiful place. Got me interested in their Michigan digs. They must have loved it there. They only stayed 3 weeks of the winter in FL usually in January around Edison’s birthday on the eleventh.
Nice! I'll have to look that place up. I didn't know about it.
www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/what-to-see/historic-homes/
@@TheGreatOutdoors prepare to be impressed. Edison had the houses he built pre cut in New England and shipped down to Florida and constructed. They not to long ago did a 14 million dollar restoration on the property including the Ford home. It’s beyond nice. The gardens and buildings are the nicest I’ve ever seen at a historic home.
It had to be rebuilt a few years back bc termites love the soft wood used to build it. The lead based paint was the only thing really holding it together.
It has porches that stretch out 14 ft from the house and create the most amazing spaces. The glass in the windows is mostly original so when you see the light come through it is magic. When Edison died Ford only came back down 4 times to visit his house and sold it for the same price he paid for it
Said “ I don’t want to be seen as profiting from my friends death”. Loyal dude.
Ford, Edison and a few other prominent people got the camping habit started by filming their car camping trips. Only took about 8 staff members to get them around on their adventures. They called themselves the Vagabonds or Vagabonders.
Doesn't living by a river mean more mosquitos?
it's open for tourists today?
I beleive the house has been closed for renovations for sometime. But walking the grounds is generally open every day. This is still very enjoyable. However, it's been a few months since I've walked there.
@@TheGreatOutdoors it's free walk in The grounds?
Definitely free.. The property is now owned by (donated to) the University of Michigan. They also just built a bridge behind the mansion that takes you into a set of woods trails that are awesome too. They go along way along a river towards Ford Field Park. On the Ford grounds where the mansion is is a nice pond and trails too. It's real nice... big grounds. With the green coming in on the trees it will getting nicer to walk through now.
Not now due to corona, I live a few mins away and try to walk every few weeks. You can walk around UofM Dearborn but not by the house.